A Rainy But Not Forgotten Experience at Wonder Walk Hiroshima
Few weeks ago, I had the luck to be a volunteer for Wonder Walk Hiroshima, an exciting walking experience that brought people together for a day of exploration, food, and fun. There were five different walking courses, each one of a different length, that individuals could choose a course that suited them best. I did the Friendly Course, and it was 26 kilometres hard but good experience.
あいにくの空模様で、小雨が降り続き、空もどんよりとしていましたが、参加者の皆さんの気持ちはとても前向きでした。旅の始まりを心待ちにする熱意にあふれ、
そのエネルギーが、出発に必要な原動力となっていました。
Getting Started on the Walk – The Rain Couldn’t Stop Us
The day of the walk began misty, and before long the rain started to fall. Most would have likely stayed indoors on a day like that, but certainly not the Wonder Walk Hiroshima attendees! People arrived at the starting point full of zest, wearing raincoats and umbrellas. Some even arrived accompanied by their dogs, making the atmosphere even livelier. Seeing the smiling faces of people and dogs made me even more excited to be a part of this activity.
飼い主と一緒に歩きながら、嬉しそうに尻尾を振る犬たちの姿は、見ているこちらまで温かい気持ちにさせてくれました。ペットたちもまるでイベントを楽しんでいるかのようで、その存在が会場の雰囲気をさらに明るく、活気あるものにしてくれていました。
Participants in full gear despite the weather
Participants with their pets
Food Stalls – A Tasty Motivation
One of the best parts of the walk was probably the food stalls along the way. There was a break point every 5 kilometres where the walkers could stop, eat a meal, and recharge. Each walker, including volunteers like me, received a 1,000-yen coupon to use at any of the food stalls. I had my eye on enjoying a hotdog and a drink, but much to my surprise they sold out by the time I reached the stall! Despite feeling a bit disappointed, it also went a long way towards demonstrating how great a time everybody was having with the food as well as with the overall experience.
食事休憩の時間は、ただ食事をとるだけでなく、参加者同士が腰を下ろして語り合い、笑い合い、思い出を分かち合う大切なひとときとなっていました。中にはすぐに食事を済ませて、再び歩き出す方もいれば、この時間を使って周囲と声をかけ合い、励まし合う方も多く見られました。歩くことに加えて、人と人とのつながりを深める、貴重な交流の場となっていたのが印象的でした。
Participants enjoying their meal at the food stalls
Walking Through History
One of the things that I enjoyed most about the Wonder Walk exercise was being able to walk around different parts of Hiroshima, like historical areas. While walking, I happened to come across the Hiroshima Army Clothing Depot, a cluster of buildings which withstood the atomic bombing back in 1945. They remind one of what used to be for Hiroshima, and coming across them in person led me to take a moment and reflect on Hiroshima’s history. It was a poignant experience, reminding one how much one should learn from history but then aim for the future.
天候は景色に独特の趣を加え、霧が歴史ある建物を包み込むことで、まるで時が止まったかのような、厳かで重みのある風景が広がっていました。この街がこれまでに経験してきた数々の苦難に思いを馳せるとともに、その歴史を忘れずに受け継いでいくことの大切さを、改めて感じさせられる瞬間でした。
Photo of A-bombed buildings
Description of the building
Another jewel of the day was the Hiroshima Port Cruise. The atmosphere was beautiful despite the rain and fog. There were boats mooring along the beach, and the calm water added a serene aspect to the lengthy walk. It was the perfect time to take deep breaths and admire the scene before continuing.
Hiroshima port cruise
The Final Stretch – A Reward for Everyone
After walking for several hours, the finish line finally came into sight, I crossed the finishing line. It was a victory but at the same time pride because I had walked 26 kilometres in the rain. In crossing the finishing line while walking, a gift was given to all of us by the organizers. The queue was long, but no one minded.
道中では多くの人が笑顔で会話を楽しみ、お気に入りの瞬間を共有したり、「もう疲れちゃったね」と笑い合ったりと、温かな交流の輪が広がっていました。速さに関係なく、それぞれのペースで歩みを進め、最後まで歩き切ったことが、多くの参加者にとって大きな達成感となっていたようです。
Participants crossing the finish line with large smiles on their faces
The After-Party – A Celebration For Everyone
As soon as I was convinced that the event was over, the hosts had a final trick up their sleeves, a pleasant after-party! The party featured music, delicacies, and laughter, with all the room to relax and bask in glory. Whatever your role in the event, as a participant or volunteer, everybody got to party together. Seeing people dancing, taking photographs, listening to stories, seeing strangers becoming friends, this made me understand how festivals like these make communities come together.
雨は決してイベントの妨げにはならず、むしろこの日をより特別なものにしてくれました。濡れた道を進む参加者の姿からは、一人ひとりの強い意志と情熱がひしひしと伝わってきて、そんな思いがこのイベントに深い意味を加えていたように感じます。
A participant performing
The atmosphere at the after party
Despite being exhausted by the end of the day, I would leap at the opportunity to do it all over again. The environment, backdrop, and feeling of being able to walk Hiroshima’s streets, legacy, and attractions made everything so worthwhile. Wonder Walk Hiroshima memories of mine recall that yes, one does need to be a part of something bigger than oneself, at one with the people, at one with nature, and enjoy oneself, rain or shine.
26 kilometres conquered!
ワンダーウォーク広島でウォーキングやボランティア活動に参加できる機会があれば、ぜひ参加してみてください！これは単なるウォーキングイベントではなく、冒険であり、人々とつながる機会であり、一生の思い出を作るチャンスです。
Written by Eze Ifeanyi Michael, a second-grade student of Eikei University of Hiroshima